New Delhi: Delhi Police have busted a kidney racket gang which operated out of one of the most prestigious hospitals in the national capital. So far, police have arrested six people in connection with the inter-state racket and have disclosed the level of sophistication the gang operated with.
Out of the six arrested, three are potential donors, including two women, who were picked up from a village in north India.
The gang had its contact at the hospital which gathered information about the needy patients. The two arrested Apollo staff members - Aditya and Sukesh - worked with the hospital's senior nephrologist Dr Ashok Sarin.
Anish, alleged mastermind of the racket, then arranged donors through his contacts. Donors were paid Rs 3 to Rs 5 lakh in exchange for the kidney but the gang charged Rs 25 to 30 lakh for the same.
Due to the restrictions and scrutiny on the donors outside family, the gang forged papers to show donors as close relative or even spouse. Organ transplant goes through rigorous process before a go ahead is given. An Authorization Committee of the hospital, which has a few doctors as its members, grants permission for the transplant.
Transplantation of Human Organs Act 1994 which was amended in 2008 regulates organ transplant in India.
Investigations by Delhi Police have revealed that the members of the gang were also active in Jalandhar, Punjab. City Police has constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the case.
Acting on a tip off, police raided the hospital located at around 9 pm on Thursday and arrested six members of the gang. Police said that they had some specific inputs about the gang's presence in the hospital yesterday night following which they acted.
“The gang have sold at least four kidneys so far in the city” cops said. Cops are investigating involuntary donations as well after a few patients complained that their kidneys were removed when they underwent surgery.
A report by AIIMS confirmed the patients fear following a medical examination.
“The gang with the help of doctors, at the time of surgery, used to remove kidneys of patients” said the cops.
A case has been registered at Sarita Vihar police station and the accused are being interrogated to ascertain gang's reach.
The hospital has said that it is co-operating with the Police and providing to them all information required to help them in their investigation
Apollo hospital in a statement said that the hospitals has always abided by the law with utmost care and diligence and shall continue to do so. The hospital, however, refused to acknowledge accused as employees of the hospital and said they are secretarial staff of some doctors.
“The hospital has been a victim of a well-orchestrated operation to cheat patients and the hospital. We urge the police to take the strictest of action against all those involved,” the hospital said in a statement.
